Versatile Ladder-Climbing Carrying Device Driven by One Motor

Abstract

Ladders are used in various places and for a variety of applications such as to access attics in houses, warehouses, plants, and sewage systems. This is because ladders do not need to be installed in large spaces or specific structures, as opposed to stairs. However, humans carrying heavy loads when using a ladder are subject to fatigue and the risk of falling. Therefore, various robots that are capable of climbing ladders to transport loads have been studied. However, so far, these robots were not designed to fit various types of ladders and were built with complicated mechanisms. Hence, in this study, we have pursued the development of a robot that is capable of climbing various types of ladders using a simple link mechanism. We created an experimental unit and verified its performance through simulation experiments using a configurable ladder in various inclinations and using different loads.